Chapter 2

Fury sent them on a mission in the Indian Ocean. A shield vessel had been taken by pirates so their job was to get it back.

"Target is a mobile satellite launch platform, the Lemurian Star." The head of the strike team, Brock Rumlow, was saying while showing diagrams on a screen. "They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, ninety-three minutes ago."

"Any demands?" Steve asked.

"Billion and a half." Rumlow said.

"Why so steep?" Steve said.

"Because it's shield's." Rumlow disclosed.

"So, it's not off course. It's trespassing." Abi said.

"I'm sure they have a good reason." Natasha added.

"You know, I'm getting a little tired of being, Fury's janitor." Steve said.

"Relax, it's not that complicated." Natasha told him.

"How many pirates?" Steve asked.

"Twenty-five. Top mercs led by this guy." Rumlow brought a picture up onto the screen. "Georges Batroc. Ex-DGSE, action division. He's at the top of Interpoles Red Notice. Before the French demobilised him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties."

"Hostages?" Steve asked.

"Mostly techs. One officer, Jasper Sitwell. They're in the gallery." Rumlow told them.

"What's Sitwell doing on a launch ship?" Steve muttered. "All right, I'm gonna sweep the deck and find Batroc. Nat, you kill the engines and wait for instructions. Abi you take the strike team and secure the hostages, get them to the life pods and get them out." They all nodded.

"Strike you heard the, Cap. Gear up." Rumlow said.

"Secure channel seven." Steve said into his comms.

"Seven secure." Abi said.

"Did you do anything fun Saturday night?" Natasha asked the pair.

Abi raised an eyebrow and Steve replied. "Well, all the guy from my barber's shop quartet are dead, so no not really."

"Coming up on the drop zone." The pilot said.

Steve hit the release for the bay door.

"You know if you ask Kristen out, from statistics, she'd probably say yes." Natasha told Steve.

"That's why I don't ask!" Steve called as he secured his helmet.

"Too shy or too scared?" Nat asked.

"Too busy!" He yelled back before jumping.

Nat and Abi shared a look before Abi followed him.

"Were they wearing parachutes?" A new guy asked.

"No. No they were not." Rumlow replied.

Steve landed in the ocean and Abi let herself down lightly on the deck behind two guys. She used her powers to flip one of the guys and threw herself at the other. She used her momentum to take him to the floor and knock him out cold. She then ran and kicked the other guy in the head. She heard a bang behind her as Steve threw his shield and took out a guy behind her. Steve motioned for her to go down the left side of the ship while he got the right. They worked their way down silently taking out anyone the saw.

They worked their way to the other end. A guy pulled a gun on Steve.

"Don't move!" The guy commanded.

Steve froze and raised his hands but Rumlow shot the guy from above. Abi joined them as everyone else started landing.

"Thanks." Steve said.

"Yeah. You seemed pretty helpless without me." Rumlow said with a smile.

"What about the nurse that lives across the hall from you?" Natasha asked Steve. "She seems kind of nice."

"Secure the engine room, then find me a date." Steve said.

"I'm multi-tasking." Nat said before flipping over a post.

Steve went to find Batroc and Abi took the rest of the team to find the hostages. She ordered half the men to scale down the side and be ready near the windows. They came to the room and waited outside. There was one guy outside. Rumlow went to take him out but she held up her hand. He spoke to the guy on the other side of the door. She gave Rumlow the signal and he knocked him out. She held the guy up using her powers and silently locked him inside a cupboard.

"There are four guards. They're both armed." She told the remaining men.

"How'd you know that?" One of the new guys asked as Rumlow rolled his eyes.

"She's a freakin' telepath. Do you not watch the news?" Rumlow exclaimed quietly.

Abi rolled her eyes. "We wait for Steve's signal, I blow in the door, you get ready for the guards, then we get the hell out of here." They all nodded and got into position.

"Targets acquired." One of the guys outside radioed.

"Steve, we're in position." Abi said into the comms.

"Natasha, what's your status?" Steve asked. "Status, Natasha."

"Hang on!" She screamed back as she took out another couple of guys. "Engine room secure." She eventually radioed back.

"On my mark." Steve said. "Three... Two...One."

With that the men outside the windows shot the guards and Abi pushed the door off its hinges. Rumlow took out the last guy.

"I told you, shield doesn't negotiate." Sitwell said.

They got everyone up and cut their bonds.

"Get them out of here." Abi told Rumlow. "I'm gonna scout for any more men. Nat should meet you." With that she flew up to the next level.

"Hostages en route to extraction." Rumlow radioed to Steve. "Romanoff missed the rendezvous point. Hostiles are still in play."

"I'm in pursuit." Abi said as she took out two guys.

"Natasha, Batroc's on the move. Circle back to Rumlow and protect the hostages." Steve ordered. "Natasha?" Steve was cut off by getting attacked by Batroc. They fought until Steve took him down through a door and knocked him out cold.

"Well, this is awkward." Natasha said as she typed on a keyboard.

Steve looked up at her before climbing to his feet. "What are you doing?"

"Backing up the hard drive. It's a good habit to get into." She clarified.

"Rumlow needed your help." Steve said walking over to her. "what the hell are you doing here?" He looked at the screens. "You're saving shield intel."

"Whatever I can get my hands on." Nat answered.

"Our mission is to rescue hostages." Steve said with annoyance.

"No, that's your mission," She pulled the memory stick out of the dock. "and you've done it beautifully."

"You just jeopardised this whole operation." Steve said harshly.

"I think that's over stating things."

Neither of them got another word because Batroc got up and threw a grenade. Steve deflected it with his shield, grabbed Natasha and jumped through a window. The grenade went off and they both laid on the floor with all the debris.

"Okay, that one's on me." Nat said.

"You're damn right." Steve answered.

They both got up as a blue glow covered the fire and smothered out the flames.

"We good to go?" Abi asked.